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#worldmentalhealthday ways to be #happy

It’s world mental health day today, so I thought I would share with you some of my complete layman (and I’m not a specialist) tips for staying happy. Along with this, a few inspirational things I discovered having trawled facebook:

1. Go for a walk everyday.
Outside that is, whatever the weather. If you don’t have a dog, borrow one, if you don’t like walking dogs, walk to the shop for your milk, your morning paper, your lunch… Which brings me to:

2. Take your lunch break
I know how easy it is to work through it but seriously, eat your lunch and read a page of that book you have been meaning to get round to, or chat to your colleagues, or look at Pinterest… Just have a break.

3. Eat healthy stuff
Yes we are talking about the good old 5 a day fruit and veg, because seriously, how many if us do?

4. Do some exercise
You know when you always here people (like doctors) waffling on about how exercise is good for your mental health? They aren’t joking, it really is.

5. Find something small and wonderous
It doesn’t have to be expensive, it could be native birds or types of coffee or crayons and fresh white paper… Find something that brings you interest, joy and a desire to discover… Then swap tales with someone else and their wonderousness.

6. Keep a journal
In a world where we all have versions of ourselves out there at work, on face book, twitter, at dinner with our family… Its good to have a place where you can be absolutely, brutally honest without causing a major diplomatic incident.

7. Pray
If there is one person in all the world who knows you completely, values you the most and totally gets it… Its Jesus. Sound like someone worth hanging around 🙂

8. Pick your battles wisely
I was given this advice when i was about 23 and it has held me in good stead ever since. Basically there are way too many totally righteous things you want to take up, argue about, fight for, worry for. You don’t have time for them all so choose wisely.

9. Be thankful
It’s so easy to dwell on the rubbish, but in every day there are things to be thankful for, even if they seem very small.

10. Start your own list
Yes, you too can come up with a list of layman’s tips on being happy! Keep it somewhere, add to it every time you find a new one.